Dr. Simmons, the candidate for this SERCA, is a highly qualified young investigator who has achieved a MS in chemistry, a DVM and residency certification in laboratory animal medicine. He is a candidate for a PhD in veterinary pathobiology with an expected graduation date of summer semester 2001. During the course of the SERCA, Dr. Simmons will obtain additional training that will allow him to develop into an independently funded research investigator. To develop his scientific skills, Dr. Simmons will participate in a variety of research training opportunities, including an in-depth research project, scientific meetings, seminars and journal clubs relevant to his area of research, and specialized topical courses at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Further, Dr. Simmons will receive additional training via collaboration with Dr. Connie Schmaljohn of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. He will present his research findings at national scientific meetings, and he will publish his findings in peer reviewed journals. Preliminary results from this SERCA will be used to pursue additional extramural grant funding during year 5 of the granting period. The focus of Dr. Simmons' research project is a novel hantavirus that was recently isolated from laboratory rats with interstitial pneumonia. Preliminary serologic analysis indicates that this novel hantavirus is widespread in laboratory rodents in North America and Europe with approximately 8% of rats infected. Further study of this novel agent is warranted because hantaviruses are potentially zoonotic, subclinical viral infections of laboratory rodents can invalidate research data, and infected rats may represent a critically needed animal model of human hantavirus diseases. The short-term goals of this grant application are to characterize this novel rat hantavirus (RRV), to initiate studies to determine its pathogenesis in rats and to describe the rat's inflammatory cell and cytokine responses to RRV. The long term goal is to develop the RRV-infected rat into a rodent model of human hantavirus diseases. Dr. Riley's laboratory provides a unique environment for this project as it is the only laboratory that has isolated and cultured this novel hantavirus. Further, the UM Research Animal Diagnostic and Investigative Laboratory is an internationally respected rodent diagnostic laboratory with specialized handling facilities and expertise in the infectious diseases of rodents necessary to complete this project.